Magnetic building block system

ABSTRACT

Implementations of a magnetic building block system are provided. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system comprises a plurality of magnetic building blocks wherein each magnetic building block comprises a plurality of side walls wherein one or more of the side walls include a recess and one or more of the recesses includes a ferromagnetic material. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system further comprises one or more magnets configured to be received by one or more recesses of the magnetic building block. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system further comprises a base having a plurality of recesses wherein one or more of the recesses include a ferromagnetic material. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system further comprises one or more magnets configured to be received by one or more recesses of the base. Methods of using the magnetic building block system also are provided.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/975,387, which was filed on Apr. 4, 2014, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to implementations of magnetic building blocks.

BACKGROUND

Existing magnetic building blocks may include complicated constructions such as rotatable magnetics. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publ. No. 2008/0305708 discloses a casing affixed to a block and a magnet housed within the casing where the magnet is freely moveable thereby allowing the magnet to adjust relative to the pole of another magnet placed in its proximity. U.S. Pat. No. 7,988,518 also discloses magnetic blocks having rotatable magnetics. Other existing magnetic building blocks may lack flexibility with fixed magnets and/or the inability of an end-user to magnetize a surface of a building block. Still further, there does not exist a complimentary magnetic board to serve as a foundation for building a structure using the magnetic building blocks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,550 and U.S. Patent Application Publ. No. 2006/0111010 discloses magnetic build block systems having one or more of the above deficiencies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an implementation of example magnetic building blocks according to the principles of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an implementation of an example magnetic building block system 200 according to the principles of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Implementations of a magnetic building block system are provided. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system comprises a plurality of magnetic building blocks wherein each magnetic building block comprises a plurality of side walls wherein one or more of the side walls include a recess and one or more of the recesses includes a ferromagnetic material. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system further comprises one or more magnets configured to be received by one or more recesses of the magnetic building block. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system further comprises a base having a plurality of recesses wherein one or more of the recesses include a ferromagnetic material. In some implementations, the magnetic building block system further comprises one or more magnets configured to be received by one or more recesses of the base. Methods of using the magnetic building block system also are provided.

FIG. 1 illustrates an implementation of example magnetic building blocks according to the principles of the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, in some implementations, a magnetic building block 100 comprises a body portion 105 having side walls 107. In some implementations, one or more of the side walls includes a recess 110.

In some implementations, the body portion 105 may have six sides. In some implementations, the body portion 105 may have more than six, or less than six sides. In some implementations, the body portion 104 is a cube. In some implementations, the body portion 105 may be any suitable shape.

In some implementations, the body portion 105 may be made from wood. In some implementations, the body portion 105 may be made from plastic. In some implementations, the body portion 105 may be made from any suitable material.

In some implementations, one or more of the recesses 110 may be centered on a side wall. In some implementations, one or more of the recesses 110 may not be centered on a side wall. In some implementations, one or more of the recesses may be circular. In some implementations, one or more of the recesses may be a square or rectangle shaped. In some implementations, one or more of the recesses may be any suitable shape.

In some implementations, one or more of the recesses may include a magnet 115 secured therein. In some implementations, a magnet may be secured within a recess through the use of a screw. In some implementations, a magnet 115 may be secured within a recess through the use of an adhesive. In some implementations, a magnet may be secured within a recess by a friction fit. In some implementations, a magnet may be secured within a recess of a side wall by any suitable method.

In some implementations, one or more of the recesses 110 may include a piece of ferromagnetic material 120 such as metal secured therein or any other material capable of forming a magnetic attachment with a magnet. In this way, a magnet (e.g., magnet 115) may be removably secured to the ferromagnetic material 120 within a recess.

In some implementations, the ferromagnetic material 120 within a recess may be a disc. In some implementations, the ferromagnetic material 120 may be a washer. In some implementations, the ferromagnetic material 120 may be any shape or size suitable for insertion into a recess.

In some implementations, the magnets may be composed of a ferromagnetic material. In some implementations, the magnets may be a rare-earth magnet (e.g., samarium-cobalt or neodymium-iron-boron). In some implementations, the strength of the magnets can be any suitable strength. In some implementations, the magnets can be any suitable magnet.

In some implementations, the magnets may have a cylindrical shape. In some implementations, the magnets may be disk shaped. In some implementations, the magnets may have a square or rectangle shape. In some implementations, the magnets may be any shape suitable for insertion into the recesses of the side walls.

In some implementations, a magnetic building block 100 may have a solid interior. In some implementations, a magnetic building block 100 may have a hollow interior. In some implementations, a magnetic building block 100 may have a hollow interior and the recesses may be openings through the side walls to the hollow interior wherein for each opening a ferromagnetic material 120 is accessible through the opening. In some implementations, a ferromagnetic material 120 may be secured to the back side of a side wall such that the ferromagnetic material 120 may be accessible to a magnet inserted through the opening.

In some implementations, the body portion 105 of a magnetic building block 100 may be a solid color. In some implementations, the body portion 105 may be multicolored. In some implementations, the color(s) of a magnetic building block 100 may be selected so that the building block 100 represents a material or object (e.g., brown for wood, grey for stone, blue for water, or green for grass.) In this way, structures such as, but not limited to, castles, houses, forests, and mountains may be constructed using magnetic building blocks 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates an implementation of an example magnetic building block system 200 according to the principles of the present disclosure. In some implementations, a magnetic building block system 200 comprises a plurality of magnetic building blocks (e.g., magnetic building blocks 100), a base member 250, and a plurality of magnets 215.

As shown in FIG. 2, in some implementations, the base member 250 may be used as a building platform for building structures using the magnetic building blocks.

In some implementations, the base member 250 may have a horizontal flat surface having a plurality of recesses 260. In some implementations, the base member may have a surface having curves. In some implementations, the base member 250 may be any suitable shape.

In some implementations, one or more of the recesses 260 may include a magnet secured therein. In some implementations, one or more of the recesses may include a piece of ferromagnetic material such as metal secured therein or any other material capable of forming a magnetic attachment with a magnet. In this way, a magnet (e.g., magnet 215) may be removably secured to the piece of material within a recess.

In some implementations, the recesses 260 of the base member 250 are evenly spaced apart. As shown in FIG. 2, in some implementations, the distant between recesses may be such that the side walls of two blocks secured to two adjacent recesses, respectfully, may have the general appearance of being flush with each other. In some implementations, the recesses of the base member 250 are not evenly spaced apart. In some implementations, the recesses form an array of rows and columns. In some implementations, the recesses may be in any suitable configuration.

In some implementations, the base member 250 may be made from wood. In some implementations, the base member 250 may be made from plastic. In some implementations, the base member 250 may be made from any suitable material.

To use the magnetic building block system 200 to build a structure, a first block 210 may be oriented so that an attached magnet on one side wall of the first block 210 is magnetically attracted to a ferromagnetic disk located on the side wall of a second block 220. In some implementations, a separate magnet (e.g., magnet 215) not secured to a magnetic building block 100 may be magnetically secured in a recess in a side wall of a magnetic building block 100. Then, the magnetized side wall of the magnetic building block may be magnetically secured to another building block 100 or other appropriate surface.

A magnetic building block (e.g., block 230) may be secured to the base member 250 by inserting a magnet secured to a recess in a side wall of the building block into a recess 260 of the base member 250 having a piece of ferromagnetic material therein. In this way, the magnetic attraction between the magnet and ferromagnetic material will secure the building block to the base member 250.

Alternatively, a magnetic building block (e.g., block 240) may be secured to the base member 250 by orienting the block such that a recess in the side wall of the block having a piece of ferromagnetic material therein can receive a magnet secured to a recess in the base member 250.

In some implementations, accessory structures (e.g. trees, torches, buildings) may be secured to the base member 250. In some implementations, an accessory structure may have a magnet secured thereto to facilitate magnetic attachment to a base member 250.

Reference throughout this specification to “an embodiment” or “implementation” or words of similar import means that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the phrase “in some implementations” or a phrase of similar import in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings.

The described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the above description, numerous specific details are provided for a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations may not be shown or described in detail.

While operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. 

1. A magnetic building block system comprising: a plurality of magnetic building blocks wherein each magnetic building block comprises a plurality of side walls wherein one or more of the side walls of the magnetic building block include a recess and wherein one or more of the recesses includes a ferromagnetic material; and one or more magnets configured to be received by one or more recesses of the magnetic building block.
 2. The magnetic building block system of claim 1 further comprising a base having a plurality of recesses wherein one or more of the recesses include a ferromagnetic material; and one or more magnets configured to be received by one or more recesses of the base.
 3. The magnetic building block system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the recesses of the magnetic building block include a magnet secured therein.
 4. The magnetic building block system of claim 2 wherein one or more of the recesses of the base include a magnet secured therein.
 5. The magnetic building block system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of magnetic building blocks is a cube.
 6. The magnetic building block system of claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of magnetic building blocks include a hollow interior and the one or more recesses of each block having a hollow interior are openings through the side walls of the block and wherein ferromagnetic material is accessible through the one or more openings.
 7. A method of using the magnetic building block system of claim 1 comprising: magnetically attaching a first block to a second block; and securing a third block to the base.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein magnetically attaching the first block to a second block comprises inserting a separate magnet in a recess of a side wall of the first magnetic build block and magnetically attaching the first block to the second block by orienting the first block so that magnet in the recess of the side wall of the first block is magnetically attracted to the ferromagnetic material located in a recess of a side wall of the second block.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein securing a third block to the base comprises inserting a magnet secured in a recess of a side wall of the third block into a recess of the base member having a piece of ferromagnetic material therein. 